1). Field of the Invention
Embodiments of this invention relate to a data processing system and method that erases search activity data.
2). Discussion of Related Art
The internet is a global network of computer systems and has become a ubiquitous tool for finding information regarding news, businesses, events, media, etc. based on a user search criteria. A user can interact with the internet through a user interface that is typically stored on a server computer system.
Because of increased user activity on the Internet and sophisticated tracking methods, more behavioral information concerning a user is being recorded through the internet. Unfortunately, a user's personal information can be abused and thus raises serious privacy concerns about retaining such information.
Often times, a user's internet activity is recorded on a remote computer. For example, a user searching for a specific product may click on various search results which are subsequently recorded by a server computer system. The recorded information may be later utilized for commercial purposes against the user's will. Providing search results while also respecting a user's privacy could alleviate privacy concerns in the search industry and result in a more enjoyable user experience.